GENEVA, July 31 (Reuters) – Thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly removed from Gaza, sometimes from bomb shelters, and taken into custody in Israel, where some have been tortured and dozens have died, a report by the U.N. human rights office said on Tuesday.
Israeli media broadcast footage reportedly showing soldiers sexually abusing Palestinian prisoners
Many of the people detained in Gaza since the war began on October 7 were picked up at checkpoints as they fled Israel's military offensive or taken from the schools and hospitals where they were staying, according to the 23-page report, which is based largely on interviews with released detainees and other victims and witnesses.
They were often blindfolded and shackled before being transported to Israel and placed in "cage-like" military facilities and forced to wear nothing but diapers for extended periods, the report said. The UN report said 53 prisoners died in custody.
“The testimonies collected by my office and other agencies point to a range of horrific acts, such as waterboarding and the release of dogs on detainees, among other acts, that constitute a flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” United Nations High Commissioner Volker Turk said in a statement accompanying the report.
